At least in that case I'm the one deciding how long to keep the data. They can't get a warrant for data I don't have. I frankly don't understand why anyone would keep weeks of security camera footage around.
You go back a year and look. Damage there? If no then go back 6 months. If the damage is there then you know it's between 6 months and a year back. Rinse and repeat, binary search.
Having said that, I wouldn't store that much. A week would be all I'd want.